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Man Su seems to have it all: a beautiful home, a wife, two children, and even two dogs with names mirroring his kids’. Everything is meticulously curated, like a designer set. But his carefully constructed world is thrown into chaos when he’s unexpectedly laid off from his 25-year position at a paper company. “There’s no other option,” the new American owners state bluntly, citing necessary cutbacks. Little does Man Su know, this is just the beginning of a radical turn of events.
Critically acclaimed South Korean director Chan-wook Park delivers a darkly comedic twist in his latest film, “No Other Option,” which premiered in Czech cinemas on Thursday. The film offers Park’s take on a popular Korean theme – satire of capitalism – a subgenre that has gained international recognition through films like the Oscar-winning “Parasite” and the Netflix sensation “Squid Game.”
The 62-year-old Park, who first gained international fame with “Oldboy,” has become one of South Korea’s most celebrated filmmakers over the past two decades. His films are known for their unexpected twists and turns, both in plot and atmosphere. A master of controlled chaos, Park consistently challenges audiences with complex ethical dilemmas.
This time, however, Park adapts a Western source material: the 1997 novel “The Ax” by American author Donald E. Westlake. The story centers on a protagonist who realizes the only way to regain his footing in the job market and reassert himself in the paper industry is to eliminate his competition. He creates a fictitious paper company and, once he has a list of potential rivals, decides to take drastic action.
Park has experience with Hollywood productions, including his visually striking vampire thriller “Stoker,” starring Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman. But his approach to Westlake’s novel is uniquely his own.
Westlake’s novels are typically minimalist thrillers, characterized by their amoral protagonists. Characters – including his most famous thief, Parker, written under the pseudonym Richard Stark – act with cold calculation. When faced with a problem, they focus solely on finding a solution, regardless of the consequences.
Trailer for the film “No Other Option.”Video: Aerofilms
The protagonist of “No Other Option” embodies this ruthlessness, but with a distinct air of incompetence. Every action is the opposite of a carefully planned murder, devolving into a series of comical mishaps – including a series of clumsy falls and a snake bite in the very first scene.
The film’s chaotic energy recalls the absurdist comedies of Czechoslovak New Wave cinema, though Park’s protagonist is a far more outlandish figure. He’s driven not by a desire to protect his family or relationships, but by a desperate need to maintain his status quo.
Park demonstrates his exceptional directorial skills, employing dynamic editing and immersive camerawork. Scenes often begin mid-action, with the camera already in motion. The film seamlessly blends satire, black comedy, thriller, and farce, though the constant shifting of genres occasionally feels uneven. Some situations repeat, leading to a sense of mechanical repetition.
Film: No Other Option
Comedy / Drama, South Korea, 2025, 139 min
Starring: Byung-hun Lee, Ye-jin Son, Hee-soon Park, Sung-min Lee, Hye-ran Yeom, Seung-won Cha, Yeon-seok Yoo and others
Ultimately, Park seems less interested in shocking us with violence – though the film doesn’t shy away from brutality – and more focused on the awkwardness and ineptitude of his protagonist. He wants us to feel uncomfortable, not because of the acts themselves, but because of how clumsily they are executed by the utterly self-serving Han Su.
Westlake’s novel is often compared to “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” However, while Ripley strives for a position he doesn’t naturally attain, Park and Westlake’s hero simply wants to preserve his current status. He could solve his problems in other ways – selling his luxurious home, allowing his wife to work – but in his mind, “there’s no other option” than to handle things his way, at any cost.
Photo: Aerofilms
When his paper company is bought by Americans, Man-su, played by Byung-hun Lee, loses his job and his perfect world begins to crumble.
“No Other Option” is ultimately a more unsettling farce than a straightforward satire, and it doesn’t rank among Park’s best work. He remains a brilliant director, capable of jarring shifts in tone and a remarkable “sadism” in prolonging the suffering of his characters and his audience. But this time, he seems to play it a little too safe, venturing into territory where we laugh at a dysfunctional and ruthless system or individuals desperately trying to stay afloat.
With a surge in satirical films about the wealthy, Park’s contribution is still above average. Despite his directorial flourishes, however, a question lingers: how productive is this repetitive exploration of a protagonist enslaved by his position, and how mechanical does the storytelling become? Where Westlake is subtly ironic and merciless, Park revels in the messiness, dragging both the protagonist and the audience into those sticky, convoluted situations. He does it admirably. But is it enough?
